Background : The factors that started us planning this project are the following: the link between our schools and the surrounding communities is somewhat lacking, the present economic situation of the world and our local areas has an effect on the students' motivation, students show signs of fatigue, neck and back pains, lack of motivation and deteriorating results, especially in maths and science. Their overall well-being has declined and there are more sleeping disorders and health problems. Many students still do not see environmental questions as their personal issue, and don’t take part in any community work. Objectives: Our main goal is to link schools more closely to the surrounding community and environment. Implementing new applications into science, and peer tutoring and stress-relieving exercises into classrooms will increase students´motivation and improve declining scholastic results. Due to the increased use of computer based educational tools, the time students sit at computers has multiplied so it is important to create activities that make them physically more active. Another important aim is to become more aware of the different characteristics of urban nature and the natural environment and to make students fully aware of their ecological footprint . To counteract the worldwide economic depression this international project will provide positive experiences and increased motivation.Number and profile of participants: There are five participating countries, each of which will send 2-3 teachers and 5 students to the project meetings or activities, however, at the first project meeting the students meet virtually. The students are between 14-18 and both they and their teachers will represent different academic fields. Many students have economic and geographical obstacles, and educational difficulties. Description of activities: 1. Students and teachers will get to know each other, survival language courses are designed, the project website and eTwinning Twinspace will be created.2. Kick-off project meeting in Finland (autumn 2016): The project work will be carefully designed and responsibilities shared. The timetable will be set. The different parts of the project will be launched and the teachers and students will be selected. Each school will start working on the three parts of the project: individual wellbeing, the wellbeing of fellow citizens, and the wellbeing of urban nature.3. The Urban Nature Activity in the United Kingdom (autumn/winter 2016) : Quantum open source software training session, ecological surveys conducted, results collected, presented and analyzed. The work on collecting useful science apps is started.4. Virtual project meeting (winter 2017): checking on the progress, modifications if needed. Songs for the charity concert chosen and practice started.5. Project meeting in Hungary (spring 2017): summary of the first year's work, re-evaluation and modifications if needed. The international choir's Charity concert .6. Virtual project meeting (autumn 2017): Re-checking the goals for the second year, monitoring the progress and making modifications if needed. Working on the project. 7. The Eudaimonia Activity in Italy (winter/spring 2018): a training session on editing a film; filming and editing the Individual well-being video.8. Working on the project: Statistical analysis of the surveys done at the beginning, during and end of the project.9. Final project meeting in Portugal (spring 2018): Collecting the database of Science Apps. Evaluating the whole project and dissemination of the results. Writing the final report of the project.Methodology : Conducting surveys and questionaires, researching and collecting data, experimenting on the collected data, statistical analyses, organizing theme days and charity events.Description of the results and impact: The wellbeing of both students and teachers will improve . The knowledge and motivation on science will increase. Recreational exercises and games will reduce stress and improve classroom ergonomics. The students will become more environmentally conscious. The social helpfulness of all participants will develop. Potential long term benefits: The increased motivation, better academic achievements, improved communication and language skills and overall lift in well-being and health will benefit both students and teachers in the long run. Both students and teachers will gain valuable experience in international contacts which will help them in their future studies/careers. The good practices of the participating schools will be implemented and the school itself will get a higher respect in its local community. The links between schools and charity organizations will be strengthened and capitalized. Internationally, schools all over Europe may benefit from the health improving exercises and knowledge about the latest technology.
“ Eudaimonia - Wellbeing, a word which in Greek philosophy means achieving the best conditions possible for a human being, in every sense – not only happiness, but also virtue, morality, and a meaningful life.” This quote highlights the main goal of our project Eudaimonia - Wellbeing very well. The main reasons that started us planning the project were that the link between our schools and the surrounding communities and the environment seemed to be somewhat lacking, secondly, students’ motivation had declined and their results had deteriorated, especially in mathematics and science, and thirdly, there were sleeping disorders and health problems, and issues resulting from working at computers all day. Our main goals were to make our schools more closely connected to the surrounding community, and make our students more aware of their ecological footprint and involve them more in taking care of their environment. Another important goal was to increase their motivation and provide positive learning experiences. Lastly, our goal was to boost both students’ and teachers’ mental and physical well being, and give them tools to cope with stressful situations that they will need in further studies and future work life. The participating countries were Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Azores from Portugal and the United Kingdom, all from diverse geographical locations.The students’ age ranged from secondary school pupils to high school students. During the two years of the Eudaimonia project, 2016-2018, all the schools introduced versatile wellbeing activities into their everyday school work that affected both the students’ and teachers’ mental and physical wellbeing. Another important part involved the wellbeing of our fellow citizens, especially those that were in an underprivileged situation, and we shared ideas and took part in many charity activities. Motivation was boosted by implementing new applications and methods into science and by doing cross-curricular teaching. The importance of being aware and taking care of our environment was highlighted by planting trees and plants in the school yard, arranging clean-up days and using applications to make the school premises more appealing. All in all, there were five meetings, two of them virtual ones, and two Teaching/ Training Activities. The first one was the Urban Nature Activity in the UK in March, 2017, where five students and three science teachers from each country spent a week in the UK studying the urban nature, learning to use new geographical applications, learning science and healthy living habits in different style lessons, and making field trips into interesting locations.The second activity was the Eudaimonia - Wellbeing Activity in Italy in October, 2017, where five students and three teachers from each participating country spent a week in Italy learning how to make and edit a video, and had many wellbeing activities and field trips in the surrounding area, and finally produced two videos of the week’s events. These videos and all the other materials produced during the project are available at https://eudaimoniasalo.wordpress.com . As for the results and longer term benefits of the project, here is a quote from the headteacher of the Finnish coordinating school, "The Erasmus project Eudaimonia coordinated by Salo High School succeeded in its entirety. The project underlined the well-being of students and teachers, which today is one of the biggest individual challenges in teaching and learning across Europe. The project allowed many good practices to spread between partner schools and become established, permanent methods. Another significant achievement of the project was the chance given to a number of teachers and students to travel in the EU creating new networks and relationships, and enhancing both the participants’ understanding of foreign cultures and ways of working. The enthusiasm and willingness of the participants to make an effort for the best possible result was outstanding, and this also inspired more students and teachers without previous experience to get involved in international activities. As a result of the Eudaimonia project, the partner schools now have an effective network of schools in the EU, which can greatly facilitate when planning further projects.”